1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to message transmission/reception. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving a message in a mobile communication terminal with a touch screen.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mobile communication terminals are spreading in use partly because of the convenience of carrying them. Thus, service providers (i.e., system manufacturers) are competitively developing mobile communication terminals having more special functions, in order to secure many users. For example, the mobile communication terminals are providing a variety of functions, such as a video call function, a message transmission/reception function, a camera function, a digital mobile broadcasting function (such as Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) or Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB)), and the like, as well as a voice call function.
Particularly, the message transmission/reception function enables a user to forward information to a called party, or to have a conversation through a text with the called party, at a lower cost than a voice call. Accordingly, users making use of the message transmission/reception function are increasing in number.
However, in the case that a user intends to transmit a message to a called party using the message transmission/reception function, the user will go through a process of several steps. For instance, in order to transmit a message to a called party's phone number, the user needs to select a message transmission function using a menu or hot key of a mobile communication terminal, input the contents of the message to be transmitted, input the phone number of the party to receive the message, and press an input/okay key.
On the other hand, as the design of a mobile communication terminal is diversified, user of mobile communication terminals with touch screens is increasing. Commonly, the touch screen provides an interface for a user to input a command or information to the mobile communication terminal by touching an icon displayed on the touch screen with a finger, a pointer, etc.
However, even in the mobile communication terminal with the touch screen, when a user intends to transmit a message to a called party using the message transmission/reception function, the user will go through a process of several steps. In detail, the mobile communication terminal with the touch screen changes only a message input scheme from physical button to touch, and still provides a monotonous environment accessing a menu for message transmission, composing a message, and transmitting the message, as in the existing message transmission/reception environment.